5 ms·

An additional commandment I can think of is that the crime has to be something significant, like a murder. I wouldn’t want to read a story about a detective so

An additional commandment I can think of is that the crime has to be something significant, like a murder. I wouldn’t want to read a story about a detective solving a petty crime or finding a lost dog.

nobody9999 4y ago
> An additional commandment I can think of is that the crime has to be something significant, like a murder. I wouldn’t want to read a story about a detective solving a petty crime or finding a lost dog. Dirk Gently[0] would like a word... [0]] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dirk_Gently_(pilot_episode) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dirk_Gently_(pilot_episode)
- ModernMech 4y ago
  I think you've kind of proven my point, as Dirk Gently is more of a comedy than a mystery. The absurdity of a detective finding a lost cat is what makes it funny. And then all the rest about time travel... I mean, if you want to make a comedy mystery you would want to violate as many of these "commandments" as you could.
  - nobody9999 4y ago
    >I think you've kind of proven my point, as Dirk Gently is more of a comedy than a mystery. The absurdity of a detective finding a lost cat is what makes it funny. And then all the rest about time travel... I mean, if you want to make a comedy mystery you would want to violate as many of these "commandments" as you could. A reasonable point. Although I'd say that humor (if done well) is a boon, rather than a detriment to mysteries (most fiction, actually). And cats always make things better[2]! As someone who enjoys mystery novels, I've noted that minor mysteries are often used as a device to bring the detective into situations where larger issues may be afoot[0][1]. It seems to me that if a mystery is engaging, the underlying "crime" isn't as relevant as the storytelling, clue planting and the thought process of the detective. At the same time, mysteries generally deal with serious crimes (especially murder), as it amps up the (fictional) stakes and provides a reason for the interest and participation of the detective. But that needn't be the case -- as long as the mystery is interesting, the prose is of good quality and the characters engaging. At least that's my take. [0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Red-Headed_League https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Red-Headed_League [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Adventure_of_the_Clapham_Cook_(short_story) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Adventure_of_the_Clapham_C... [2] cf. Lillian Jackson Braun's "The Cat Who..." mysteries[3]. [3] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cat_Who_series https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cat_Who_series Edit: Fixed reference indices.
- everybodyknows 4y ago
  > ... a plot involving time travel A violation of Knox Rule number II.
  - marcosdumay 4y ago
    Oh, it's not a problem. It's clear from the beginning that it involves time travel, and the story unrolls perfectly linearly.
kej 4y ago
The Encyclopedia Brown series rode the lost dog/petty crime train to 20+ volumes.
- deleted 4y ago
  [deleted]
- ModernMech 4y ago
  That's why I had changed my original comment from "no one would want to read" to "I wouldn't want to read" :P
dylan604 4y ago
But if that lost dog was the only one that could tell you which well Timmy fell down, then it might be more significant
slowmovintarget 4y ago
From the way she was carrying on I was expecting this to be about her son. Her husband seemed oddly unaffected though. As she continued discussing his habits, I slowly pieced it together. Morning walk, careful hair brushing, just the right food, not too wet, not too dry... I had to interrupt her. "You're talking about your dog? I don't do dogs." I said. At this point, the husband slid an envelope across the desk filled with cash. It was at least twice my daily rate. "Look," he said, "I need this done, and I need it done discreetly. Find the dog, or bring me its collar." The woman began to object, but a glare from her husband stopped her. This was more than a missing dog case. It had to be, no one put up that much, in cash, up front just for a dog. You put up posters in the neighborhood, you don't hire a PI. Alarm bells were ringing in my head, but the rent was due, and Aberlour isn't cheap. I opened my desk drawer and casually slid the envelope into it. "Do you have a picture of..." "Beaumont. His name is Beaumont," the woman supplied. ...
- shard 4y ago
  I would read this.

nobody9999 4y ago

> An additional commandment I can think of is that the crime has to be something significant, like a murder. I wouldn’t want to read a story about a detective solving a petty crime or finding a lost dog. Dirk Gently[0] would like a word... [0]] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dirk_Gently_(pilot_episode) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dirk_Gently_(pilot_episode)

ModernMech 4y ago
I think you've kind of proven my point, as Dirk Gently is more of a comedy than a mystery. The absurdity of a detective finding a lost cat is what makes it funny. And then all the rest about time travel... I mean, if you want to make a comedy mystery you would want to violate as many of these "commandments" as you could.
- nobody9999 4y ago
  >I think you've kind of proven my point, as Dirk Gently is more of a comedy than a mystery. The absurdity of a detective finding a lost cat is what makes it funny. And then all the rest about time travel... I mean, if you want to make a comedy mystery you would want to violate as many of these "commandments" as you could. A reasonable point. Although I'd say that humor (if done well) is a boon, rather than a detriment to mysteries (most fiction, actually). And cats always make things better[2]! As someone who enjoys mystery novels, I've noted that minor mysteries are often used as a device to bring the detective into situations where larger issues may be afoot[0][1]. It seems to me that if a mystery is engaging, the underlying "crime" isn't as relevant as the storytelling, clue planting and the thought process of the detective. At the same time, mysteries generally deal with serious crimes (especially murder), as it amps up the (fictional) stakes and provides a reason for the interest and participation of the detective. But that needn't be the case -- as long as the mystery is interesting, the prose is of good quality and the characters engaging. At least that's my take. [0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Red-Headed_League https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Red-Headed_League [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Adventure_of_the_Clapham_Cook_(short_story) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Adventure_of_the_Clapham_C... [2] cf. Lillian Jackson Braun's "The Cat Who..." mysteries[3]. [3] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cat_Who_series https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cat_Who_series Edit: Fixed reference indices.
everybodyknows 4y ago
> ... a plot involving time travel A violation of Knox Rule number II.
- marcosdumay 4y ago
  Oh, it's not a problem. It's clear from the beginning that it involves time travel, and the story unrolls perfectly linearly.

kej 4y ago

The Encyclopedia Brown series rode the lost dog/petty crime train to 20+ volumes.

deleted 4y ago
[deleted]
ModernMech 4y ago
That's why I had changed my original comment from "no one would want to read" to "I wouldn't want to read" :P

dylan604 4y ago

But if that lost dog was the only one that could tell you which well Timmy fell down, then it might be more significant

slowmovintarget 4y ago

From the way she was carrying on I was expecting this to be about her son. Her husband seemed oddly unaffected though. As she continued discussing his habits, I slowly pieced it together. Morning walk, careful hair brushing, just the right food, not too wet, not too dry... I had to interrupt her. "You're talking about your dog? I don't do dogs." I said. At this point, the husband slid an envelope across the desk filled with cash. It was at least twice my daily rate. "Look," he said, "I need this done, and I need it done discreetly. Find the dog, or bring me its collar." The woman began to object, but a glare from her husband stopped her. This was more than a missing dog case. It had to be, no one put up that much, in cash, up front just for a dog. You put up posters in the neighborhood, you don't hire a PI. Alarm bells were ringing in my head, but the rent was due, and Aberlour isn't cheap. I opened my desk drawer and casually slid the envelope into it. "Do you have a picture of..." "Beaumont. His name is Beaumont," the woman supplied. ...

shard 4y ago
I would read this.